Wire rope making machine and method



May 9, 1933- A. J. MORGAN ET Al. 1,907,651

WIRE ROPE MAKING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed May 15, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z0 INVENTORS m4-QM WMVQM BY ATTORNEY May 9. 1933- A. J. MORGAN E1' AL WIRE ROPE MAKING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed May 15, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 vENToRs alf( @ma @am f TTORNEYS ad a7 iM/7 Patented May 9, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARCHIBALD J. MORGAN AND WILLIAM E. CRAIG, OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY, AS-

SIGNORS TO JOHN A. ROEBLINGS SONS COMPANY, OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY, A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY WIRE ROPE MAKING MACHINE AN'D METHOD Application filed May 15, 1931. Serial No. 537,518.

This invention rela-tes to machines for making wire rope or wire strand of that class in which a number of wire strands or Wires are wound helically, usually on a metal or hemp core, and relates especially to that part of the mechanism in which the strands or wires are laid up on the core and the rope or rope strand closed.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an improved laying up and closing mechanism, in which a better control of the strands or wires shall be secured, so as to enable the production of a rope of eiractly the characteristics desired and maintain the strands or wires in the condition required for the best service and greatest durability of the rope under its service conditions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and eficient method and mechanism for making dead lay wire rope or strand, that is, rope or strand that will lie without twisting or uncoiling at the end and to control the strands or wires so as to avoid objectionable torsion therein.

For a full understanding of the invention, a detailed description of a construction embodying all the features of the same in a preferred form will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and the features forming the same then be specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, which show the invention applied to a wire rope machine of a common typ Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional elevation of the machine;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the laying up and closing portion of the machine, the section being taken on the line 2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a plan View looking downward on the line 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view looking upward from line 4 of Figure 2.

In the following description and claims, the word wire will be used as including both i wire and its strands, and the word rope as including both rope formed of strands and strands formed of wires, the invention being equally applicable to both.

Referring to the drawings, the fiyer is shown as of common form, consisting of a rotating standard 10 carrying the spiders 11, in which are mounted the bobbin frames 12 carrying the bobbins 18, this iyer being shown as carrying at the top of the standard 10 the head 14 with the usual inclined guides 1 through which the outer wires m pass with the core y to the squeezer 15 held in fixed position by the supports 16 and from which the finished rope X passes to the usual drawoff roll 17 and around guide roll 18 to the wind-up reel. The fiyer and bobbin frames are shown as driven by the usual planetar gearing from the driving shaft 19, whic drives the fiyer through gears 20, 21 and the bobbin frames through gears 22, 23, 24, 25, so that the bobbin frames are rotated reversely during their revolution with the flyer, this reverse rotation being about one rotation to each revolution of the flyer and acting to prevent or regulate the torsion on the individual wires as usual in such machines. Any othei` suitable mounting and driving means for securing the required movement of the fiyer and bobbin frames may be used, with the bobbin frames mounted either oli' center or axially relatively to the flyer as common in the art.

Referring now to the parts added to the machine above described for the embodiment of the present invention, ais a stationary support fixed on the top of fiyer head 14, in which is mounted to rotate, as on ball bearings 2, a series of hollow nozzle carriers b, one for each wire each of which carriers b carries a nozzle c through which the wire m passes from the flyer to the laying up point. The nozzles are set at one side of the normal path of the wires from the flyer head guides 1 so as to bend the wires in their passage from the guides 1 to the laying up point, the angle of their bend and the distance from the nozzles to the closing point being fixed in accordance with the characteristics desired in the rope. The nozzle carriers b are geared to an internal gear d surrounding the series of carriers, the outer side of the internal gear being formed with sprocket teeth and driven at the proper speed by sprocket chains e from shaft f, which may be driven by any suitable lneans, either from the main shaft 19 or the pull-off device, or by separate motor. These nozzles will be rotated in the direction opposite to the rotation of the head.

From the nozzles c the wires pass to a die g which, as preferable and shown in Figure4, is separate from the squeezer and mounted to rotate. As shown, this die g is a split die held in a split dog h secured to hold the die by pins 3 and driven to rotate from wheel j, the outer rim of which is formed with sprocket teeth and driven by sprocket chain lc from shaft l, or otherwise so as to be driven at the desired speed and in the desired direction independently of nozzles c. The die g is mounted directly below and close to the squeezer 15 and rotates on bearing plate 4 between the squeezer and nozzle. This die g is curved on its entering Sides so as to guide and bend the wires properly for laying upon the core in the manner desired and is formed with a small clearance for the wires and rope so as to allow the wires to position themselves readily in laying up.

In making dead lay rope, the nozzles c and die g will be positioned relatively to each other, both in respect to horizontal and vertical dimensions, so that the helices formed in the wires as they are laid up on the core, will be permanent helices and avoid the tendency of the wires to untwist, as they do in the usual process of laying up the wires on to the core. For this purpose the wires must be bent at suitable angles in passing over the nozzles c and the die g and the machine run at suitable speed, the angle and speed being determined by the lay of the helices desired in the complete rope or strand. It will be understood, however, that the nozzles and die may be so arranged as not to make the dead lay rope, but only control the Wires to secure the characteristics desired in the finished rope.

In thus laying up the wires and closing the rope, there isa tendency to twisting or torsion of the wires, and for the purpose of controlling this twisting or torsion, either to avoid it so as to produce a wholly neutral rope, or to provide rope with some twisting or torsion in either direction, according to the characteristics required in the rope, the nozzle c and die g preferably are both positively rotated, as shown, the surface movement of the rotating nozzles and die relatively to the rotation of the fiyer head 14 being arranged to fully avoid the twisting or torsion tendency of the wires or to control this in the manner desired. For the avoidance or reduction of this torsion, the nozzles c and die g will be rotated in the direction opposite that in which the wires tend to twist, but under some conditions. it may be desirable to rota-te the nozzles and die, or one of these, in the same direction as the wires tend to twist, this depending on the torsional characteristics required in the rope. It the same machine is to be used for rope differing in characteristics, the nozzle c and die q will be made adjustable relatively to each other and provided with means for varying their surface speed of rotation, but the same result may be secured by making a special head for each rope differing sufiiciently in characteristics to require this.

Under some conditions, it is possible to omit the positive :rotation of the nozzles and die and leave them free to rotate under the pressure of the wires, and in some cases the die g may be fixed in position, but usually and especially in making dead lay rope, with the angle of the wires in passing from the flyer head nozzles that is required for that purpose, as shown, it is much preferable that both the nozzles c and the die g should be positively rotated. It the die g is not mounted to rotate, it will be understood that it may be formed as the entering part of the squeezer and either integral with the squeezer or attached thereto.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact construction or arrangement of parts shown, but that many modifications may be made therein while re'- taining the invention defined by the claims.

lVe claim:

1. In a machine for making wire rope, the combination with the flyer and rope closing devices, of nozzles carried by the fiyer through which the wires pass directly to the rope closing devices, said nozzles being mounted to rotate in the flyer transversely to the Wires and arranged to bend the wires without previous crimping or helix-forming over the exit ends of the nozzles inward toward the machine center and at an angle such as to coact with the rope closing devices to form helices of determined characteristics.

2. In a machine for making Wire rope, the combination with the fiyer and rope closing devices, of nozzles carried by the flyer through which the wires pass directly to the rope closing devices, said nozzles being ar` ranged to bend the wires without previous crimping or helix-forming over the exit ends of the nozzles inward toward the machine center and at an angle such as to coact with the rope closingI devices to form helices of determined characteristics, and means independent of the wires for rotating said nozzles in the fiyer transversely to the Wires.

3. In a machine tor making wire rope, the combination with the flyer and rope closing devices, of nozzles carried by the fiyer through which the wires pass directly to the rope closing devices, said nozzles being mounted to rotate in the fiyer and arranged to bend the wires Without previous crimping or helix-forming over the exit ends of the nozzles inward toward the machine center and at an angle such as to coact with the rope closing devices to form helices of determined characteristics, said rope closing devices including a die at the closing point acting to bend the wires from the nozzles into position in laying them up on the core.

4. In a machine for making wire rope, the combination with the flyer and rope closing devices, of nozzles carried by the flyer through which the wires pass directly to the rope closing devices, said nozzles being mounted to rotate in the flyer and arranged to bend the wires without previous crimping -Y or helix-forming over the exit-ends of the nozzles inward toward the machine center and at an angle such as to coact With the rope closing devices to form helices of determined characteristics, said rope closing devices including a die at the closing point mounted to rotate transversely to the wires independently of the other members of the rope closing devices and acting to bend the wires from the nozzles into closing position in laying them up on the core.

5. In a machine for making wire rope, the combination with the flyer and rope closing devices, of nozzles carried by the flyer through which the wires pass directly to the rope closing devices, said nozzles being mounted to rotate in the flyer and arranged to bend the wires Without previous crimping or helix-forming over the exit endsl of the nozzles inward toward the machine center and at an angle such as to coact with the rope closing devices to form helices of determined characteristics, said rope closing devices including a die at the closing point mounted to rotate transversely to the wires independently of the other members of the rope closing devices and acting to bend the wires from the nozzles into closing position vin laying them up on the core, and means independent of the wires for rotating the die.

6. In a machine for making Wire rope, the combination with the flyer and rope closing devices, of nozzles carried by the flyer through which the wires pass to the rope closing devices, said nozzles-being arranged to bend the wires Without previous crimping or helixforming over the exit ends of the nozzles inward toward the machine center and at an angle such as to coact with the rope closing devices to form helices of determined characteristics, said rope closing devices including a die at the closing point mounted to rotate transversely to the wires independently of the other members of the rope closing devices and acting to bend the wires from the nozzles into closing position in laying them up on the core, and means independent of the wires for rotating said nozzles in the flyer transversely to the Wires.

7. In a machine for making wire rope, the combination with the flyer and rope closing devices, of nozzles carried by the flyer through which the wires pass directlyto the rope closing devices, said nozzles being arranged to bend the wires without previous crimping or helix-forming over the exit ends of the nozzles inward toward the machine center and at an angle such as to coact with the rope closing devices io form helices of determined characteristics, said rope closing devices including a die at the closing point mounted to rotate transversely to the wires independently of the other members of the rope closing devices and acting to bend the `wires from the nozzles into closing position in laying them up on the core, and means independent of the wires for rotating the die and nozzles independently of each oher.

8. In a machine for making dead lay rope, the combination with the flyer and rope closing devices, of nozzles carried by the flyer through which the wires pass directly to the rope closing devices, said nozzles being mounted to rotate in the flyer transversely to the wires and arranged to bend the wires without previous crimping or helix-forming over the exit ends of the nozzles inward toward the machine center and atsuch an angle as to coact with the rope closing devices to form permanent helices in the wires, said rope closing devices including a die at the closing point acting to bend the Wires into closing position in laying them up on the core.

9. In a machine for making dead lay rope, the combination with the flyer and rope closing devices` of nozzles carried by the flyer through which the wires pass directly to the rope closing devices, said nozzles being mounted to rotate in the flyer transversely to the wires and arranged to bend the wires Without previous crimping or helix-forming over the exit ends of the nozzles inward toward the machine center and at such an angle as to coact with the rope closingr devices to form permanent helices in the wires, said rope closing devices including a die at the closing point acting to bend the wires into position in laying (hein up on the core, and

means independent of the Wires for rotating i the nozzles in the flyer.

10. In a machine for making dead lay rope, (he combination with a flyer and rope closing devices,- of nozzles carried by the. flyer through which the wires pass directly to the rope closing devices, said nozzles being mounted to rotate in the flyer transversely other parts of the closing devices, and act- Y ing to bend the wires into position in laying them up on the core, and means independent of the wires for rotating the nozzles in the flyer.

11. In a machine for making dead lay rope, the combination with the flyer and rope closing devices, of nozzles carried by the flyer through which the wires pass directly to the rope closing devices, said nozzles being mounted to rotate in the flyer transversely to the wires and arranged to bend the wireswithout previous .crimping or helix-forming over the exit ends of the nozzles inward toward the machine center and at such an angle as to coact with the rope closing devices to form permanent helices in the wires, said rope closing devices including a die at the closing point mounted to rotate transversely to the wires and independently of the other parts of the rope closing devices and acting to bend the wires into position in laying them up on the core, and means independent of the wires for rotating the nozzles and die independently of each other.

12. In a machine for making dead lay rope, the combination with the flyer and rope closing devices, of nozzles carried by the flyer through which the wires pass directly to the rope closing devices, said nozzles being mounted to rotate in the flyer transversely to the wires and arranged to bend the wires without previous crimping or helix-forming over the exit ends of the nozzles inward toward the machine cente'and at such an angle as to coact with the rope closing devices to form permanent helices in the Wires, said rope closing devices including a die at the closing point mounted to rotate and acting to bend the wires into position'in laying them up on the core, means independent of the wires for rotating the nozzles and die independently and means for controlling the torsion of the wires as they pass from the wire supply to the nozzles.

13. In a machine for making dead lay wire rope, the combination with the flyer and -rope closing devices, of nozzles carried by the flyer and mounted to rotate in the flyer, through which the wiresl pass directly to the rope closing devices and arranged to 4bend the wires Without previous crimping or helix-forming over theA exit endsof the nozzles inward toward the machine center and at such an angle as to coact with the rope closing devices to form permanent helices in the wires, said rope closing devices including a\die at the closing point mounted to rotate and acting tobend the wires from the nozzles into position in 'laying them up on the core, and means for controlling the torsion of the wires. as they pass from the wire supply to the nozzles.

14. In a machine for making dead lay wire rope, the combination with the flyer and rope closing devices, of nozzles carried by the flyer and mounted to rotate in the flyer, through which the wires pass directly to the rope closing devices, and arranged to bend the wires without previous crimping or helixforming over the exit ends of the nozzles core, means independent of the wires for rotating the nozzles andpdie independently and in the direction opposite to that in which the wires tend to twist in bending over the nozzles and die, and means for controlling the torsion of the wires' as they pass from the wire supply to the nozzles.-

15. The method of makingdead lay rope, which consists in revolving the wires about the rope centerand simultaneously bending the wires without previous crimping or helix-forming inward radially to the axis of revolution over surfaces rotating transversely to the Wires from which they pass directly to the closing point.

16. The method of making dead lay rope,

which consists in revolving the wires about.

the rope center and simultaneously bending the wires without previous crimping or helixforming inward radially tothe axis of revolution over surfaces rotating transversely to the wires from which they pass directly to the closing point, and bending the wires into laying up position over the entrance surface of a die at the closingpoint. 17. The method of making dead lay rope, which consists in revolving the wires about the rope center and simultaneously bending the wires without previous crimping or helixforming inward radially to the axis of revolution over surfaces rotating transverselv to the wires from which they pass directlyl to the closing point, and bending the wires into laying up position overthe'entrance surface of a die at the closing point rotating transversely to the Wires:

ARCHIBALD J. MORGAN. WM. E. CRAIG. 

